American beauty brand has released a line of halal nail polish for Muslim women. And it’s really caught my eye

Needless to say, some women are ecstatic with the idea, including some of my close friends. Photo Courtesy: YouTube/ MuslimGirl.com

While growing up, I was introduced to a lot of halal things by my friends and family. And in case you are wondering what that really means, then allow me to enlighten you. It’s basically everything that is permissible or lawful in traditional Islamic law. So, you have halal meat, halal video games, halal drinks, and a ton of other such Sharia-approved things.

So, when I came across an ad selling halal nail polish to Muslim women, I was pretty intrigued. The American beauty brand ORLY has teamed up with MuslimGirl.com, a lifestyle website, to release a limited-edition collection of six nail polishes–all halal-certified.

According to a report published in Huffington Post, halal paints ‘breathable’ technology reportedly makes it possible for both oxygen and water to pass through the layer of paint on a molecular level. And why is this so important, you ask? Well, “Muslim women forego wearing nail polish because they are concerned it may interfere with the ritual of wudhu (the act of cleaning up before prayers), since it may act as a barrier and prevent water from reaching their nails,” reveals the report.

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Needless to say, some women are ecstatic with the idea, including some of my close friends. After all, it does make their lives a lot simpler. Imagine trying to get rid of the paint five times a day before each prayer. It’s a waste of time and a waste of varnish remover. In fact, it’s interesting to see Muslim women tweaking tradition with the help of these fascinating innovations. Especially those, who take their faith very seriously and still dig fashion. And you know what? I totally get the need to hold onto both the worlds.

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In fact, this was the very idea the makers of the line had in mind while trying to come up with halal paints. “This line is important because there are so many girls and young women who aren’t represented in mainstream beauty. They either don’t fit that definition or see things about them that are designed without them, instead of for them and by them. This is our way of bridging that gap,” said Azmia Magane, chief of staff, MuslimGirl.com in an interview to Glamour magazine.

Moreover, the names given to the products of this line are eye catching too. For instance, you have ‘What the Fatima?’, “Ig-Noor the Haters,’ and ‘The Perfect Amani-cure.’ Interesting, no?